Axle for automobiles.



H. LIECHTY.

AXLE FOB AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED APILZB, 1913.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0, PHOTC-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. C.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

HERMANN LIECHTY, 0F BERNIE, SWITZERLAND.

AXLE FOE AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed April 29, 1913. Serial No. 764,302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HERMANN LIECH'IY, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at 15 Dapples Weg, Borne, in the Republic ofSwitzerland, have invented a new and useful Axle for Automobiles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel axle for automobiles, the two spindlesof which axle are spring-pressed for obtaining a soft motion of thevehicle.

The chief feature of the novel axle consists in that the two spindlesfor receiving the two wheels are no longer made in one with the axle,but are pivotally connected therewith, while springs are insertedbetween the axle and arms or parts of the spindles, which latter may beeither solid or tubular, so that the axle proper together with the twospindles no longer forms a rigid structure but forms an elastic systemcapable of supporting the load.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1, is a plan partly in sectionthrough a rear axle for automobiles embodying my invention; Fig. 2, avertical cross section on line AB, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, a similar crosssection on line CD, Fig. 1.

In the rear axle for automobiles either axle proper a has at the outerend a ball 6 and is at the inner end in any known manner connected withthe differential gear contained in the middle casing 7). Either spindlecl is made tubular and is connected with a casing g of any knownconstruction and having a long inner tubular arm 7. The casing 9contains brasses i which fit the surface of the ball Z- and can turn onthe same through a certain angle in all directions. A crosspin 0 passesthrough the ball 6 and through opposite slots rrin the brasses a andthrough opposite slots .9 s in the casing q. The casing g has formed init two opposite chambers t t for two collars 7a 70 provided withspherical outer surfaces and disposed on suitable shoulders of the crosspin a, as shown. The tubular spindle d is rigidly connected with theappertaining wheel 6 and therefore partakes in the revolution of thelatter. A tubular round shell or casing m (Fig. 3) contains at the outerend on the inside two parallel outer race rings a u with annulargrooves, in which small balls '0 'v are made to roll. A hollow brakedisk as is made to close the casing m and has an inner tubularprojection Z concentric with the axle a. The projection Z carries twoparallel inner race rings w to with annular grooves for the balls o '0.The cross pin 0 is set off at the two ends, which engage incorresppnding opposite holes in the tubular projection Z. It will be nowunderstood, that the power received from the motor through thedifferential gear in the middle casing 29 will be transmitted by theaxle a on either side through the cross pin a on the one hand to thecasing g and thereby to the spindle d and the rear wheel 6 and on theother hand to the tubular projection Z and thereby to the brake disk w,so that the ball I) of the axle a will be supported by means of a ballbearing formed by the parts a u, o o, w w. The brake disk 00 is made tobear in any known manner on the casing q and contains a brake 0 of anyknown con struction, which I do not describe here, as it is immaterialto my invention.

The tubular casing m connected with the already mentioned middle casing39 contains a square widening y for supporting two lower large helicalsprings g, two upper small helical springs g and two opposite largehelical springs 9 (Fig. 2). The inner ends of all of these helicalsprings g g g are made to bear by means of suitable parts against thefour sides of a square frame h, which is made to turn on the inner endof the tubular arm 7 by means of a ballbearing a of any knownconstruction. The lower helical springs g are to take up the forceproduced by the resistance of the ground acting upward on the wheel 6,the spindle 03 serving as the short arm and the tubular arm 7 as thelong arm of a twoarmed lever rocking by means of the brasses i on theball I) of the axle a. The upper helical springs g serve for damping ofsoftening the vibrations of the lower helical springs 9 due to shocks.The lower and upper'helical springs g g are so adjusted as to bring thelever 65 f under normal load into the central line of the axle a. Guidesh [L1 provided on the vertical sides of the square frame it for therespective parts pressed against these sides by the horizontal springs 9permit the tubular arm 7 to vertically rock on the ball Z). The twomiddle helical Springs 9 are to take up the horizontal vibrations of theinner end of the tubular arm 7. The casing m m is to support thecarriage frame in any known manner.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

I claim:

1'. In an automobile, an axle, a wheelspindle, a ball bearing betweenaxle and spindle, a pivotal connection likewise between said axle andspindle, a tubular arm connected to the spindle and encompassing theaxle, a relatively fixed member, and springs interposed between thetubular arm and member. 7

2. In an automobile, an axle, a wheelspindle, a casing on said spindle,collars having spherical faces and interposed between said casing andaxle, atubular arm on said.

casing that encompasses the axle, a tubular shell encompassing thetubular arm, a plu- 'C'opies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0.

